Loving War (22 page)

“What did you think was on my mind?” I muse, enjoying how he holds me with effortless ease, but then his bruises cross my mind, and I try to wiggle free. I feel like shit for forgetting them.

He doesn’t let me go right away, and I seriously become curious about his pain tolerance, because he seemed to really be hurting yesterday, but he acts unaffected today.

“Ah,” he says, still grinning as he walks over to the table and slowly puts me on my feet. He reaches down for his briefcase, and he pulls out several thick folders packed full of pages. “These are résumés.”

I’m confused, my mind still hazy as I try to stay upright and not pass out from the excitement that is bubbling through me without mercy.

“We’re staying in because you’ll have a ton of questions, and I’m the best person to answer them. We’ll start with assembling your team so that you aren’t overwhelmed with things to do. Everyone in these stacks is ready to start work right now; they’ve passed my screening process—which is very hard to do; and they have negotiable rates that will go with the budget you discussed with me. We’ll sort these out and find the perfect fit for you.”

Ah, hell.

Tears water up in my eyes, and he looks down at me with bemusement riddling his expression.

“What’d I do wrong?”

I grin and laugh while the tears slip out. I’m not crying sad tears, but he doesn’t understand that. I really don’t think I’ve ever cried happy tears before.

“Nothing.” My voice is shaky, and I sniffle while he wipes a tear away from my face.

“You want to start on this or do some celebrating first? This is your night.”

I grab his neck to jerk him down, and the kiss I give him is searing. He grips me to him tightly when he feels my desperation to kiss him as hard as I can.

“Take me to bed first. Before I say something stupid,” I murmur against his lips.

***

TRIA

Well, after trying to destroy the hotel room like horny teenagers or wild rockstars all night, we manage to get everything sorted out, and I have my first, second, and third picks lined up for every position.

Kode is sleeping peacefully after being thoroughly rewarded for all of his hard work. It’s almost noon, but he deserves the rest. Especially since I’ll be keeping him up tonight again.

I grin when I see his arm reaching out, searching for me even as he sleeps. My chest swells with emotion when he mutters my name and hugs a pillow to him, substituting it for me.

Grinning, I pull his phone from the counter, curious as to what he calls me while I go to the abandoned room service and finally sit down to finish that piece of celebratory chocolate cake. My ass will need to be in the gym next week to make up for all the food splurges I’ve had this weekend.

His new phone just got to us in time for our flight the other day. Apparently his tech guy had to swap over all his old information. And his phone is not liking me.

After finally figuring it out somewhat, I check to ensure it is on vibrate, and I send him a text to see what pops up. I hold back a laugh when I see my naked selfie picture, but my heart thumps in my chest when I see my name—
My Sexy Girl.

It’s not as creative as the names he gives himself in my phone, but it’s a claiming, warming, and endearing name that has me tearing up again. But then a new message comes through, and that brief moment of triumph is obliterated into ashes as cold heat pumps through my veins.

My Perfect Girl:
When are you coming back? I thought we’d get together. Just the two of us. It’s been a while, and I miss my best fri...

That’s all the preview shows, and I don’t want to actually read the whole message. Kode would know I snooped, and this was an accident. A terrible, sickening, jarring accident that I wish had never happened.

If I didn’t already know who it was, the picture would tell it all. I’ve seen his phone numerous times, but I’ve never seen a text or call from her. Dane usually messages him, even though Rain texts the others a lot. I suppose Dane has the same chip on his shoulder about them as I do.

At least now I know why.

Her picture isn’t a scandalous mirror selfie of her lying on a bed, looking desperate to tempt him. She’s staring innocently over her shoulder—at him most likely—and grinning as her blond hair bounces under the sun.

Her name and image make her seem wholesome—someone that a man would dedicate his life to. My name and my image sound temporary and scandalous—like I’m the well-kept dirty secret.

Perfect?
His
perfect girl?

I can’t do this to myself. He’s here with me, and he has gone out of his way to make this weekend extraordinary. If I were temporary, he wouldn’t have invested in my company. He wouldn’t have pulled out all the stops to make this all work for me.

She might have been his perfect idea of a woman at one time, but I’m the one he’s with now. Even if I’m merely a substitute for the girl he can’t have.

I wish I had never been curious about the special
pet
name he gave me in his phone. Leave it to me to ruin a dream.

Kode stirs, mumbling my name again, but this time my heart doesn’t clench uncontrollably.

“You’re up too early,” he says, alert but keeping his eyes closed.

Trying to swallow down the painful knot in my throat, I slowly move back toward the bed, my feet feeling weighted to the ground. Without releasing the sigh I want to, I slide in next to him and let him wrap his arms around me until I’m pulled flush against his hard body.

“Much better,” he mumbles into my hair, smiling as he kisses my forehead. “What’re you doing up?”

Seeing my sister’s endearing term on your phone.

“I had some messages to check. It’s almost noon.”

He groans while throwing a leg over me, cradling me to him tighter in a hold that has some of my tension easing. He wouldn’t be holding me like this if he didn’t want me. Just me.

Right?

Stupid, immature insecurities. I have to let it go.

“So, do you change the names in your phone as often as you change your name in my phone?” I ask, sounding flirty and playful instead of bitter.

He snickers, unaware of the reasoning behind my seemingly harmless question.

“Nah. Most of the names in my phone have stayed the same since I programmed the numbers back whenever. I only change names to
Do Not Answer
on occasion. Other than that, I don’t mess with it.”

It’s not much relief, but it is some. He might have programmed her that way a long time ago. But then again, that picture of her is less than a year or two old.

Stop, Tria. Don’t do this.

Deciding not to sabotage my relationship over useless jealousy, I wrap my arms around him and give in to his strong pull.

“We’ll go out tonight. Somewhere nice,” he says, sighing into my hair.

Kode Sterling may have wanted Rain Noles, but he’s falling for me. That can be enough.

Chapter 22

KODE

“Make sure you contact them. Ms. Noles will be using my personal human resources department until she has formed a staff of her own. Thanks, Sharon,” I say, hanging up with my assistant.

She’s a bitch, but she’s badass at her job.

Scrolling through my messages, I see I have yet another new message from Rain.

My Perfect Girl:
Are you avoiding me? We’re going to talk, Kode. Text me or call me back.

She has sent three text messages since yesterday, wanting to meet up alone. I’m not stupid. She’s pissed about me going after Pete alone, and now she wants to sit me down and scold me like a kid. I should probably change her name in my phone. She’s not
my
anything. Never was. And I’m learning that perfect is overrated.

I’m not wasting time with Tria to go get reamed by Rain. No thank you.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I grin when I see the name on it.

My Sexy Girl:
I’m heading home right now to do some work. Leo is coming over, and I’m fairly positive he’s going to do a few backflips when I show him everything in writing. The lawyers are still tweaking the fine details, but we should be signing everything soon. I’ll see you later tonight. Thanks for this weekend.

Damn. She left when we got home to run some errands, but I thought she’d be coming here when she got done. Something was off yesterday. I’m not sure what, but she wasn’t as… free?

Usually she hands herself over to me like there’s nothing holding her back. Yesterday she seemed distant, and everything felt a little forced. I’m sure it has a lot to do with her nervousness over her business. It’s real for her now, and the adrenaline has worn off, making way for the reality that can be daunting. That’s why I’ve gotten her a team together. They’ll help make this launch go seamless.

I decide I’m overdue for a training session with Jax, so I head over to his studio. He’s working with a few women when I get there, all of them eyeing him like they want a bite.

Rolling my eyes, I walk his way, and he excuses himself from the admirers who are fanning their faces.

“I swear you get more ass than a rockstar,” I say as we head toward the mats.

He laughs while shaking his head, and the women move to the workout equipment, not moving their eyes off us.

“Still with the hottie?” he asks as I start stretching.

“Yeah. Just got back from New York.”

“Sounds serious. Long weekend together? Or did she invite herself?”

“It was planned. My idea. Long story, but damn good weekend.” Until she started stressing out, it was a damn good weekend. I can help her with anything she needs, so I wish she’d just come over and let me work on it with her.

Christ. I’m the one who sounds clingy.

“Did you ever screw her sister? Or was it one of those friend-zone things?”

I really need to quit talking to him about my shit.

“Never screwed her. Friend-zone hell more like it. But it all seems to be working out for the best.”

Tria is so much better for me in so many ways. It’s shocking at the things we have in common. And she wants me. No one else even draws her attention in the slightest.

Jax stops talking when we start working out, and he kicks my ass a few times, since my head is a little groggy from the weekend. After a solid two hours, I’m pouring sweat and breathing like an out-of-shape pansy.

Jax mocks me when I drop to the mat to sprawl out, and I flip him off without bothering to lift my head to glare at him. When my phone blares some girly song from my gym bag, I silently curse Tria. When the hell did she do that?

“Dude,” Jax says through his laughter, “nice tune.”

“Shut the fuck up,” I grumble while answering the call from Corbin. “What’s up?”

For a minute, there’s nothing but a long exhale on the other line.

“Corbin, you called me, man. Why you being all heavy-breathing on the other line?”

Jax continues laughing, but Corbin has me worried.

“You remember when you and Dale went to see Edward? All that weird shit going on?”

I remember, but I never told him. Apparently Dale filled him in. “Yeah,” I drawl, not interested in anything dealing with Edward right now.

“Well, that woman that threw you out wasn’t his maid. She was his nurse. Apparently Edward has had psoriasis of the liver for a really long while now. It took a turn for the worse recently. I guess he tried to drink his guilt away for years and years.”

Ah, shit. “How bad is it? Is there anything they can do?”

Tria doesn’t need this shit. She and her father have too many unresolved issues.

“It’s pretty bad, and I doubt they can do anything, considering he died just an hour ago.”

Just like that, my heart slams into my chest. Shit. Tria. Motherfucker!

“I’ve got to go. Tria—”

“Rain just went to pick her up and tell her in person. They’ll be going over to Eleanor’s. If you call—”

“Corbin, I really don’t give a fuck if Rain knows right now.”

He blows out a breath, and I can almost hear him nodding in agreement. “Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”

I hang up without responding, ignoring Jax when he starts sounding worried, and I dial Tria while grabbing my stuff and jogging toward the door. She answers with a voice as dead and dull as I’ve ever heard.

“Hey.”

Taking a deep breath, I search for anything to say. I suck at consoling.

“Hey, where are you? I’ll come to you.”

She sniffles, and a small whimper escapes her, but she clears her throat as though she doesn’t want to be crying.

“I’m with Rain right now. I’m fine. I’ll be staying with Mom tonight. They’re going to… I can’t talk about this right now. I’ll call you in a little while.”

She hangs up, and I stop in my tracks, trying and failing to come up with what I’m supposed to do. Son of a fucking bitch.

I saw how Kade reacted when he lost his grandfather. Tria just lost her dad. Kade needed space. Hell, he still does. But is that what Tria needs, too? What the hell do I do?

***

TRIA

I stare at the phone, wondering if he’ll try calling right back. Fortunately, he doesn’t. I’m barely holding myself together right now, and if I fall apart, I want to do it alone. All alone. There shouldn’t be any witnesses to see me cry over a man that I should have hated.

“Who is
Sex Master
?” Rain asks, trying to lighten the mood.

She didn’t love Dad. How could she have? It’s understandable why she’s not falling apart, but I don’t have it in me to play nice with the perfect girl at the moment.

“I don’t want to talk about it right now,” I mumble numbly, and I hear her sigh that seems to come from deep within.

“Of course. Sorry, Tria. I was just—”

“I know,” I interrupt, still staring out the window as we close in on our childhood home. There are already numerous cars outside. Mom is probably an absolute wreck.

“Why didn’t someone call me sooner?” I ask as we near the house.

Rain hated him, yet she found out before I did. It’s like I’m always the last on the list, even when my father dies. It’s truly impossible for one person to always be so overlooked.

“No one wanted to tell you over the phone, since you actually cared about him.”

She sounds sympathetic, and there’s pity lacing her tone—pity I don’t want or need. Everyone praises her for being strong. She is. She truly and honestly is. I refuse to be the weak one that everyone has to pet while they rave about her being so strong.

Sucking in all my unshed tears and wiping away the few strays, I open the door as soon as we park. Rain has to run to catch up with me, and she laces her fingers with mine as we head toward the door.

“I’m here, Tria. I’m here for you and Eleanor.”

Maybe Kode is right. She really is perfect. Can’t blame him for taking notice, because right now she’s keeping me from falling apart.

“Thanks, Rain. That means a lot.”

The tears bang at the backs of my eyelids, but I restrain them. My phone chirps, and I release her hand as we walk in, so I can check the message.

Sex Master:
I’m here for you.

Breathing out in relief, I stare at the screen for five long minutes. I’ll wait until I’m not on the verge of a sobbing breakdown before calling or responding. Right now, he’d see how weak I really am, and that’s something I’d like to keep hidden.